Bobby pin spreader



g- 1952 E. A. HAYDEN 2,606,563

BOBBY PIN SPREADER Filed Oct. 19, 1950 IN V EN TOR. E/leanor A Hayden Affomey Patented Aug. 12, 1952 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOBBY PIN SPREADER Elleanor A. Hayden, San Mateo, Calif.

Application October 19, 1950, Serial No. 191,049

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in bobby pin Spreaders.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a portable device equipped with means for mechanically spreading or separating the shanks or legs of a bobby pin to thus eleminate the necessity for using the fingers or teeth for the necessary spreading of the tips of the shanks of the pin.

A further object of the invention is to provide a weighted base for the spreading medium and to equip the base with a rubberized or like pad that will frictionally retain the base against danger of dislodgement from a supporting surface when the shank spreading operation is being performed.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a bobby pin spreading device that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, positive in operation, strong, durable, and highly efficient and serviceable in use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the device of the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the invention and disclosing the position of the bobby pin on the spreading medium, prior to the spreading of the shanks of the pin, and

Fig. 5 is a similar view disclosing the shanks of the bobby pin in a separated position.

It is a well known fact that the shanks of a bobby pin are normally resiliently pressed against each other, and must be spread or separated in order that they may be inserted in curlers and for various other purposes. Operators in beauty parlors and likewise women in the home resort to the expedience of separating shanks by using the teeth or the finger nails for this purpose. There is always the danger of bruising or cutting the fingers or injuring the enamel of the teeth when the above recited spreading methods are employed. To therefore overcome these dangers. annoyances and inconveniences and to have ready for instant use a practical separating medium, I have devised the present invention.

In the accompanying drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 6 designates a cylindrical base, preferably made of metal,

to provide substantial weight to the device, and to eliminate the danger of movement of the same during the shank spreading operation and when the device is positioned on a dressing table or like support. It will be noted that an abrasive disc I is adhesively or otherwise secured to the bottom surface of the base to provide further frictional contact on any supporting surface.

Referring to the drawing, a bobby pin, indicated by the numeral 8, of a U-shaped configuration, defined by joining together an upper leg '9 with a lower leg I0. The spreader element per se is likewise made of metal and is suitably secured about medially on the upper surface of the base. The said spreader is of a substantially inverted L-shaped configuration and includes a flat vertical standard I I that has integrally formed therewith, and at right angles thereto, a flat horizontal arm I2 that is interposed between the legs 9 and [0 during the spreading operation of the bobby pin. The position of the legs, prior to and after the spreading of the same, is illustrated to advantage in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing. It will be noted that the standard I l is eccentrically positioned relative to the medial portion of the upper surface of the base, and further that the hori-, zontal arm overlies the said medial portion. Thus, there is provided a distinctive properly balanced construction of the bobby pin spreader, which construction cooperates with the abrasive disc to prevent a tilting of the device when the pin is being spread. It is to be noted that in the operation of separating the shanks, as illustrated in the drawing, only one hand is required to expediently and simply expand the shanks for insertion in the curl.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be obvious that I have devised a most unique and practical medium, whereby the tips of the shanks of the pin are separated sufficiently to enable the bobby pin to be used without additional separation of the tips.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A device of the character described comprising a circular weighted base having an upper and lower surface, an abrasive disc secured to the bottom of said base, and a bobby pin spreading medium 2,606,563 3 4 arranged on the upper surface of said base, said REFERENCES CITED spreader comprising a standard secured to the base at a point eccentricauy to the medial The foliowmg references are of record in the tion of the upper surface of said base, and a 1118 of thls Patent:

horizontal arm integrally formed with said stand- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS am at its upper extremity and overlying the medial portion of the upper surface of said base, 5 5 5 2 B nName M 3 said arm capable of being inserted between the 2'295987 1 1942 shanks of a bobby pin for spreading the shanks, 254856l 1951 one from the other. 0

ELLEANOR, A. HAYDEN. 

